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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bank — of a river
  5. land — to come down
  6. roll — a cake
  7. bank — for money
  8. mark — a trace
  9. row — to paddle
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a grade
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. bound — certain
  14. row — a line
  15. rash — hasty
  16. land — ground
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bank — for money
  19. rash — a series
  20. roll — a list
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — to recline
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. lie — an untruth

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com